Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Writing analogy.




Hey everyone, back from the holidays. Hope everyone had fun. 

I enjoy working out. It comes in ebbs and flows, and I am not always the healthiest person, but it is a pretty constant in my life. I have worked out solo before and can manage, but I have found that having a partner can greatly improve what you are trying to do. 

It is interesting that writing is much the same. Most see being an author as a solitary thing and often times it is, but there are very good reasons why you should surround yourself with the right people. 

Pushing yourself.

When I work out alone I have my goals and I try hard to meet them. The problem is, it is so much easier to make excuses when I get tired or things become hard. Having that person there that is on your level truly helps because if they do the set and finish it out it pushes you to put the extra work in.

Writing is the same. That is why Critique Partners are so great. They can push you and give you the drive to push that story a little farther. They can be there to offer encouragement when you feel like you are failing. 


Getting help.

Sometimes when you are trying to grow in an area while working out, asking a trainer or other people in the gym for some advice can really help take your game to the next level.

Again writing has the same thing. Editors and beta readers are important because they are outside people who can see what you are doing and offer their opinions on things that are working and things you can improve. 

In both it isn't necessarily that you can't do the work, but having someone on the outside that can see the things you may be too close to will always be a benefit. 

Helping others.

I love working out with people who are new to it. It can help my confidence and also help me understand why I do things the way that I do them.

Pretty much word for word this applies to writing. Giving advice can help us put into words our writing process and it can give that little boost when we are feeling down.


Writing is often a solo activity. Working out and trying to be healthy will always come down to you making the right choices yourself. Still, the people we choose to have around us will often have a large hand in whether we succeed or fail. 



Anyway, it is great to be back I hope everyone is doing well. As always have fun and keep writing!!

8 comments:

  1. That's a very muscular body at the beginning. Good on you for working out. Dunno about the comparison with writing of course but it sounds valid. Happy New Year Brandon

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    1. Yeah maybe too much for me, but I am working on it. lol.

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  2. And that helping others can come through critiquing their work. We help them and their work helps us to be better writers.

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  3. Having a "partner" works for some people. I'm a solo artist. I think it's part of being an introvert.

    Love,
    Janie

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  4. I totally agree with this analogy! It's important to have a cheerleader or two on your side, and to help keep you accountable.

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